The Studio@620 took over The Coliseum to celebrate its decade anniversary and Studio Honors on Saturday, Nov. 1, at 6:20 p.m. — a first at the historic venue in downtown St. Petersburg.
The Studio Honors program recognized five couples and 10 individuals in celebration of its 10 years of providing eclectic and first-rate performing arts. The event's theme “Magic of Community” underscored a dazzlingly diverse evening of arts, culinary tastes and communal camaraderie.
Honorees and guests in attendance included (from left to right above) Dave and Astrid Ellis; Mimi Rice and Dr. Richard Rice; Jeanne and Peter Meinke; St. Pete Deputy Mayor Kanika Tomalin and Mayor Rick Kriseman; Drs. Kenneth and Nancy Bryant, M.Ds.; LGBT Welcome Center/Warehouse Arts District fundraiser Larry Biddle and his husband, Creative Loafing Editor-in-Chief David Warner; Dr. Peter Betzer and Dr. Susan Beers Betzer; and Emerging Artist winner Cassidy Routh. The honorees all received colorful awards designed by Duncan McClellan Glass.
A campy video sendup of the honorees offered laughs and not the usual snoozes these types of presentations usually induce.
Editors and writers from CL's editorial department, publisher James Howard and others on staff came out in support of Warner and Biddle.
Food by Fresh Go Wild Market Grill, Meze 119, Mazzaro's and other local eateries kept the crowd fed, and Jesse Thelonious Vance and local rock/alt/progressive duo Czyk led off the exceptional entertainment acts that continued throughout the night. Czyk's drummer kept the Halloween spirit alive on Day of the Dead with an all-green leotard. Vertigo-defying aerial dancer Kara Russell of Silks wowed the crowd, and the Nate Najar Band with members of La Lucha contributed a jazzy backdrop.
Performers upped the ante on a center stage and in alcove "micro-theaters" on both sides of the dancefloor. In one, Local improv group The Third Thought got some laughs with a cleverly ridiculous farmer-son sketch. Eugenie Bondurant and Paul Wilborn (in smoking jacket, no less) added cabaret panache; Sharon Scott brought the house down with a powerhouse belt-out of "The Impossible Dream."
Susan Hellman gave an equally breathtaking rendition of "Un Bel Di, Vedremo" from Madama Butterfly, and Flamenco dancer Caroline Esparza added snazzy Latina flavor in a gorgeously flowing red gown.
Probably the most memorable highlight: St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman crooning Ol' Blue Eyes style —"My kind of town —St. Petersburg is."